A native New Yorker of Italian parentage, Elena Mancini developed a discerning food palate at a very young age. The Williamsburg, Brooklyn kitchens of her Neapolitan mother and grandmother served as her first gateways into the vibrant culinary traditions of Southern Italy. During childhood summers in Italy, her Apulian father taught her to appreciate the pleasures of enjoying raw sea urchin and uncooked baby squid just fished from the Adriatic as her favorite street foods. As a university student in Bologna, Elena enjoyed spending her weekends learning about Emilian cuisine in her Aunt Graziella’s kitchen in Reggio Emilia. From a very young age, Elena’s life in New York has been a fun and rewarding quest for fresh authentic flavors of all cultures. She has always enjoyed sharing her favorite culinary experiences with friends and anyone who displayed the slightest gourmet sensibilities. She has been doing so in a more formal fashion since 2008, when she founded The Gotham Palate.
In addition to writing and eating, Elena enjoys learning foreign languages, practicing kundalini yoga and exploring her wonderful city.
